Toggle Service Host Delivery Optimization: High Network Usage Error – How To Fix?

With Windows 10 v1607 was launched a new feature called Delivery optimization to better deliver the updates to Windows devices. However, it has been noted by many users that this service ends up using a lot of networks, causing high bandwidth bills.

Here, I shall discuss what the Service Host Delivery Optimization is, and how you can turn it off on your Windows 10 device.

What Is Service Host Delivery Optimization?

With Windows 10 anniversary update (v1607), Microsoft unveiled the Delivery Optimization service. The Delivery optimization service initiates a peer to peer sharing of update files, ensuring faster delivery of updates to client computers.

Your PC sends some parts of the downloaded update files to other computers on your network and the internet, while also receiving some other parts of the update file. This ensures that all the computers on the network receive updates faster. Windows 10 Delivery Optimization is used in the delivery of the major updates, which are usually larger in size.

However, using peer to peer delivery network is heavy on the internet bandwidth usage, with many users reporting high network bills after this setting was introduced in Windows 10. If you enjoy unlimited internet cheaply, you can enjoy faster updates with Windows 10 Delivery Optimization at the cost of high network usage.

How To Turn Off Service Host Delivery Optimization?

If you wish, you can turn off the Delivery Optimization Windows 10 feature on your device. This can be done easily using the following steps:

1. Open the Windows Settings You can use the keyboard shortcut Win + I.
2. Click on Update and Security.
3. From the left pane menu, select Delivery Optimization.
4. Under Allow downloads from other PCs, move the slider below Allow downloads from other PCs to Off position, to disable Windows Update Delivery Optimization.

Moving the slider to the OFF position means your PC cannot download updates from anywhere other than Microsoft servers; thus preventing unnecessary high network usage.

You can also fine-tune this setting using the group policy editor. If you want finer controls over the Service Host Delivery Optimization, follow the steps provided next.

Using Local Group Policy Editor

1. Open a Run dialog by pressing the Win + R
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate the following path in the Local Group Policy editor to edit the Service Host Delivery Optimization settings:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Delivery Optimization
4. On the right pane of the window, locate the policy named “Download Mode”. Double-click on it to open its properties.
5. Change the download mode to Enabled by clicking on the radio button next to it.
6. Under Options, choose the appropriate value from the drop-down menu.

Various List Values Explained:

The following list shows the supported values:

0: HTTP only, no peering.
1: HTTP blended with peering behind the same NAT.
2: HTTP blended with peering across a private group. Peering occurs on devices in the same Active Directory Site (if exist) or the same domain by default. When this option is selected, peering will cross NATs. To create a custom group use Group ID in combination with Mode 2.
3: HTTP blended with Internet Peering.
99: Simple download mode with no peering. Delivery Optimization downloads using HTTP only and does not attempt to contact the Delivery Optimization cloud services.
100: Bypass mode. Do not use Delivery Optimization and use BITS instead.

Adjust Bandwidth In Group Policy

If you use the Bypass mode and use BITS, you can adjust the bandwidth and limit the speed accordingly.

In Group Policy Editor, navigate to the following path:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

Under Options, adjust the background transfer rate according to how you see fit.

Conclusion

The Service Host Delivery Optimization is a good feature that helps with Microsoft’s new approach towards regular updates. However, the high network usage of this feature can be annoying and lead to high network bills. Do you have the Windows 10 Delivery Optimization turned on? Tell us in the comments below.